“How much are we ready to pay when it comes to speaking out and questioning critically sensitive issues in our society?” This question was posed by Tanzanian multidisciplinary and several award-winning artist Mihayo Kalaye.
His solo exhibition dubbed Yesterday’s Price is Not Today’s Price is inspired by one of Marcus Garvey’s books. The exhibition is running until November 29 at the African Arts Trust in Nairobi.
My initial interaction with the title vaguely reminded me of a Pusha T's song of the same name. When I asked Mihayo later whether the song was an inspiration he disagreed. Post-mort, the American rapper must have also had his own inspiration from elsewhere and this is Mihayo’s.
“The way Shinehead [Jamaican singer] and Anthony B [Jamaican DJ] were expressing the contemporary issues through the dub style really made me think of the term price in a broader way and just thinking how much are we ready to pay when it comes to speaking out and questioning critically sensitive issues in our society,” says Mihayo.
“This exhibition encompasses a body of work that is inspired by Marcus Garvey’s book, Message to the People: The Course of African Philosophy. I draw upon the concept of conversation as a vital nourishment for the mind,” said Mihayo.
Like Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican activist from the late 1800s, Mihayo’s passion for the African people speaks through his art.
Unlike Marcus Garvey, though Mihayo has not declared himself the Provisional President of Africa, but through his art, he has crafted his symbols of resistance in contemporary African societies to empower Africans to make a statement to the world.
“Imagining the Pan-African movement today and what price are we going to pay to just keep this movement as authentic as possible, same time make historical references, like what did Bibi Titi pay to be bold and be one of the freedom fighters, same to Bibi Kidude, Winnie Mandela, and all other women and men who have never been mentioned in history.”
Inspired by the concept of conversation around African societies, Mihayo’s body of work challenges the authenticity of the pan-Africanism movement and explores how to keep it free of gimmicks and personal gain.
“With a focus on the post-colonial situation in Africa, decolonisation, restitution and sustainability, my work delves into African history, spirituality, and politics,” he says.
Through a variety of mediums including fabrics, stitching, tattooing, texts from music and books and other mixed media installations, Mihayo prompts viewers to reconsider how language is manipulated by politicians, wealthy individuals and religious institutions against Africans.
“I have experimented with a diverse range of materials in this series, including posters, vinyl billboards, books, fresh and old paper, and cardboard, coarse and shiny plastic, fabric, netting, sheets of metal, and panes of glass,” Mihayo says.
“These materials are widely used in advertisements throughout the country. Conceptually, they form a language employed by politicians, businesspeople, and religious institutions to disseminate various forms of information to society.”
“By acknowledging the power of this language, I have used it in creating my personal symbols of resistance while metaphorically provoking the aforementioned conversation.”
Central to Mihayo’s oeuvre is his deep spirituality that oozes even in his art. He use of pieces like ‘Made’, one of his favourite at the exhibition, to critique the legacies of imperialism and prompt reflection on modern global interdependencies and cultural intersections. “This piece [Made] draws inspiration from the Kariakoo market and many others in Dar and outside Dar,” says Mihayo.
“When I walked through the streets of Kariakoo with my careless and loose observation over the years it has been feeling like a small China. The shops are flooded with Chinese products, even Chinese people owning retail shops,” he adds.
“This has always disturbed me and made me question the economic sustainability that we have with China. I have never been to China but I am just thinking, is it the same in China; that they have big markets full of products from Tanzania and Africa at large?”
With an unwavering commitment to social engagement and interrogating power dynamics, Mihayo offers illuminating perspectives on restitution, boundary suspension, and the transformative potential of art in inspiring neocolonialism and cultural dialogue.
“So that is the question I bring forward for the audience to build up a critical conversation for economic sustainability inside Africa, to rethink on the idea of international relation from a decolonial perspective,” he adds.
Mihayo’s artwork has been exhibited in various venues, including the East Africa Biennale in 2019, the National Museum of Tanzania in 2020, Circle Art Gallery in Kenya in 2021, Galerie Atelier III in Barmstedt, Germany in 2022, The Africa Centre in London, UK in 2022, The French institute, Mauritius in 2023 and The African Arts Trust gallery, Nairobi Kenya in 2024.
The 26-year-old is one of the recipients of the 2024 Feel Free Grant by Nafasi Art Space in conjunction with the Swiss and Norwegian embassies in Tanzania and the Prince Clause Seed award in 2024. He joined Nafasi Art Academy to study contemporary art after graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Sciences and Management.
“I am a multidisciplinary artist. It helps me to be freer with how I bring my creativity out, the medium has to say something about the idea I am exploring. I try to be intentional in what medium I use so I can really scream out loud if I make sense.”
